


A Touch of Madness

by Hamimifk (BatchSan)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bullying, F/F, Falling In Love, Femslash, Fluff, Friendship, Opposites Attract, Snark, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-15
Updated: 2014-05-15
Packaged: 2018-01-24 22:15:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1618913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BatchSan/pseuds/Hamimifk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone knows, or rather thinks, Luna Lovegood is a touch mad but Daphne can’t help but find herself wanting to figure out the puzzle that is the younger girl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Touch of Madness

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2013 round of [interhouse_fest](interhouse_fest.livejournal.com) using the following prompt:
> 
>  
> 
> _Daphne realizes that there is more to Loony Lovegood than she first thought._

It’s thundering out when Daphne awoke. She rolled her eyes and considered going back to sleep but knew she couldn’t. With an undignified sigh, she pulled back her curtain and heaved herself out of bed, finding the floor cold before locating her slippers. Millicent was still lounging in bed when she walked by, her leg dangling from beneath her curtain as if an eerily dismembered limb. A kick to the bed made the leg start, kicking at nothing but green curtain and air for a moment before it’s owner could reclaim it.

“If you don’t move your arse, you’ll be as useless as the idiots in Gryffindor,” Daphne snapped when a groggy face peeked out from behind the curtain.

“It’s Saturday, Daph,” Millicent grunted. “It’s okay to sleep in a bit today.”

“It’s never okay to sleep in.”

With another kick of her housemate’s bed, Daphne exited the dorm room to clean herself up for the day. Some minutes later, Daphne entered the Common Room to find it surprisingly empty despite the weather outside. The only ones milling about were some first years who quickly scrambled out of the room at the sight of the sixth year.

Up in the Great Hall, she found the space largely empty as well, unsurprising as the people in the other houses were lazy sods likely still sleeping this time on a Saturday morning. The rest of the girls, sans Millicent, in her year were seated at the Slytherin table, greeting her with nods as she took a seat beside them. Tracey silently passed her a pitcher of pumpkin juice before Pansy thumped her on the back making Daphne slosh the juice she was in the process of pouring herself a cup of.

“Sorry,” Pansy said with no real attempt at being earnest. Daphne scowled at the infuriating smirk Pansy flashed her.

“The day has scantily begun and already you’re going to be a nuisance with me?” Daphne asked.

“Dove, if I wanted to be a nuisance for you, I’d done more than made you soil your precious fingers.”

Huffing, Daphne grabbed a muffin from a nearby tray and stood to leave.

“Come off it, Daphne,” Pansy said with a scoff. “It’s not for such dramatics. I’m only toying with you. It’s not as though there is much else to do today.”

Her voice quiet, Astoria spoke up from her spot a few seats down on the bench. “Daphne doesn’t enjoy childness before she’s had breakfast.” A pause. “Nor after, either.”

“Thank you, Astoria. Some people, especially ones who’ve known me for some six years, should know that by now.”

Pansy laughed, the sound further grating on Daphne’s annoyance – though she could argue it was more because of the screeching pitch to it as opposed to her already feeling worked up. Before Daphne could get mad enough to truly give her a piece of her mind, in stepped several Gryffindors to the Great Hall. This normally went unnoticed by the Slytherins but Daphne immediately caught on to how Pansy’s laughter had petered off with a substantial lack of interest upon the Gryffindors’ arrival. Frowning, she scoured the lot and saw only one girl from their year – Hermione Granger.

“Don’t tell me that mudblood’s captured your fancy?” Daphne asked, sitting back down and lowering her voice.

Pansy ignored her.

“Honestly? She is the enemy, Parkinson. One of THEM you know, and a mudblood at that!”

“I’m aware of these things, _Greengrass_ ,” Pansy said with a deliberate stress on Daphne’s last name. “I am also aware of the fact that you are not my mum so bugger off.”

It was clear Pansy was done talking, tucking back into her bowl of oatmeal with blueberries as though she only just remembered the purported benefits of breakfast, so Daphne parted in silence, muffin in hand, and headed out of the Great Hall. The library was likely fairly empty at this time and she did have a Transfiguration essay due by Monday. However, Daphne found herself pausing at a window in one of the main floor corridors.

The rain was still heavy outside, the scent filling her nostrils as she stepped closer to the window. Movement outside captured her eye and as she drew closer, she could see a figure out in the rain dancing about. Perhaps not quite dancing, that seemed to imply the figure was following a beat or rhythm of some kind but no. The figure just seemed to be jumping about at random intervals, arms and hands thrown about in every direction as though attempting to reach out for something; embrace it even, perhaps.

What really captured Daphne’s interest was long, damp hair as it shifted and jumped about in the air seemingly of its own accord, independent of its owner’s actions. Pointed up at the sky, head thrown back, a fair skinned face smiled up at the heavens – the owner of the hair. Daphne couldn’t help but envision a child being cleansed of its sins, whatever they might be. That imagery remained so prevalent in her mind as soon as she contemplated it that it took her more than a moment to realize that the figure was watching her, though whether it could see her was unknown, yet Daphne could tell whom the figure was now that they had settled down – one Loony Lovegood.

This rattled her in a way she didn’t understand, simultaneously sending a chill up her a spine and a flip in her belly. Before either could properly greet the other, she took off at a run, heading back the way she came and down to the dungeons. She was standing in the Slytherin common room before it dawned on her how ludicrous it was to run away from Loony Lovegood. So what if she saw her? What was Loony going to do? Be upset that Daphne peeped on her while she thrashed about incoherently on school grounds where anyone could see her?

“Don’t be dense, Daphne,” she said aloud. “She won’t do anything.”

A second year nearby looked over at her surprised by her voice, and made a hasty retreat through the common room entrance.

*

Monday came and passed in the same way most days did, uneventfully. Daphne took to the library after dinner to research a Potions assignment, avoiding any of her housemates and really anyone as she found a seat as far away from the others there as she could. She was halfway through browsing a second book on the origin of water-based potions when she sensed someone watching her. Looking up from her book she was slightly startled to find wide, blue eyes watching her in what could only be described as a serene silence. A part of her wanted to snap her fingers in Luna’s face to see if it would shake her out of whatever far-off revelry Luna always seemed to be looking at, though Daphne strongly suspected it wouldn’t help.

“Is there something you want?” Daphne asked, keeping her tone as uninterested as possible.

“Is there?” Luna asked, seeming to wonder about it for the first time herself. “Perhaps? I’m not quite certain at the moment.”

Luna lapsed again into her strange ‘serene silence’ leaving Daphne to return to her book in hopes that ignoring the Ravenclaw would be enough to chase her off. Looking up a few moments later, the Slytherin was annoyed to find the other girl still seated across from her. If this was anyone else, Daphne would accuse them of harassment but it was clear that with Luna, she was only being her odd self. Why though, did she--Daphne--have the misfortune to be the one to be victimized by this idiot?

“If you will pardon me, I have to attend to my studies in an area where I can be alone.”

“Did you know, there’s nowhere one can ever really be alone? There’s always something about, whether it be another person, a wee spider, or a nargle. Someone is always about, so it’s technically impossible to ever truly be alone,” Luna said.

Despite herself, Daphne was surprised by how logical that was, albeit somewhat paranoia-inducing. Whether it was meant to be or not was a moot point, she only wanted to be as far away from this nuisance as possible. Collecting her things, she made a hasty exit and went down to the dungeons convinced she should never return to the library again least she risk another strange encounter as she just did.

“Something the matter?” Pansy asked when Daphne entered their shared dorm room.

“Nothing is the matter,” Daphne snapped.

Making a noise of either amusement or indignation, Pansy returned to the book in her hand leaving Daphne to sit at the edge of her bed and return to her studies. By the time bedtime arrived, she had put the event out of her mind until Miilicent came to her, confusion written all over her expression.

“Loony Lovegood asked me to give you this,” she said as she handed over a parchment.

Opening it, Daphne found the parchment blank. Millicent shrugged when she looked back up at her.

“I was going to shove it back at her but she was already down the corridor when I looked back up from the parchment,” Millicent explained. “I tried to find anything hidden on it but Charms is more your specialty than mine.”

Retiring to her bed for the night without so much as a thank you to her housemate, Daphne proceeded to go through all the spells she could think of to reveal hidden messages or the like. In the end, she spent nothing more than a half hour doing this before realizing the parchment was nothing more than exactly what it appeared to be – a roll of parchment.

Clearly Loony was more off her rocker than the rest of the school had thought!

*

When Daphne next saw Luna, she isn't so surprised by the encounter having expected it for a good week by the time. The Ravenclaw was outside behind the greenhouses, speaking to a wild flower growing beside one of Professor Sprout’s supply sheds. She couldn’t explain it, but something about Luna’s recent behavior toward her had piqued her interest. It wasn’t oft a thing to happen for Daphne, to take up after a random fancy. Most of her interests were things either expected of her to pursue or things she strongly felt an interest for.

Not to say the lunatic Ravenclaw was an interest for her. A curiosity, perhaps. A puzzle of sorts, actually, and Daphne did enjoy a good puzzle.

“Speaking to flowers helps them grow,” Luna commented off-handedly as Daphne approached.

The Ravenclaw never looked up to see her arrival, however, so she wondered if Luna was even speaking to her or not.

“Professor Sprout teaches that to all first years,” Daphne said as she came to stand a short way from the kneeling girl.

“She doesn’t teach about the tiny Snortlehogs that sleep beneath the petals at night. They enjoy a soothing conversation during the daytime hours. That’s the real reason why it’s so helpful to speak to the flowers.”

Daphne made a face. “Snortlehogs? Don’t be so ridiculous, there is no such thing.”

“They hide by turning invisible when people come too close,” Luna explained patiently, “They enjoy being spoken to just the same however.”

“Why were you dancing in the rain the other day?” Daphne asked, losing her patience.

“They have small ears so you must speak to them softly and from a close distance,” Luna continued as though she hadn’t heard the question.

“And what of the parchment you sent me? I spent two days attempting to decipher any possible messages or traps on it but I found nothing.”

“Did you try looking without your eyes?”

“Are you mental, honestly?” Daphne asked, her anger growing.

“If you mean that I spend a lot of time thinking, then yes.”

Luna smiled up at her, meeting the Slytherin’s eyes finally. Unconsciously, Daphne took a half step backward as though to run in case the girl turned out to be truly deranged somehow. She stopped herself from going too far when Luna scooted over on the ground, making room for Daphne to join her. The Ravenclaw patted the ground beside her before turning her attention back to the flower.

“The Snortlehogs in this flower haven’t heard the voice of another in a long while. I think I’m the only one that really stops and talks to any of the wild flowers growing on the school grounds. They must be quite remiss to have only one human visitor.”

“I will not now, or ever, kneel on the dirt to speak to a flower of all things.”

Silent, Luna leaned closer to the flower and began to hum softly to it. Hesitating, and surprised by the hesitation all together, Daphne turned and walked away leaving Luna to her strange flower obsession or whatever it was

Later that day, while seated in Transfiguration class, Daphne found herself humming the same tune Luna had been humming earlier. She accidentally snapped her quill in horror.

*

Thursday, a mere three days later, it rained again. From a window in the Astronomy Tower, Daphne watched it fall, losing herself to the sound of it hitting the stone sill. In the past, she may have associated the sound with the annoyance of her clothes sticking to her in uncomfortable ways, the smell of damp hair before she could slip into the bath and right herself. Right now, a large part of her mind, reluctantly, couldn’t help but associate the sound with a soft hum and wild dance moves.

Something jabbed her in the thigh and she started, feeling a sharp nervousness slam into her chest, recovering barely enough to avoid the professor’s off-putting gaze. Trelawney still shot a concerned look her way but said nothing as she went on with the lesson. Throwing a piercing glare at Pansy beside her, Daphne kicked her beneath the table, smiling when the other girl hissed at her.

“Twit,” Pansy growled.

“Arse,” Daphne growled back.

Daphne wasn’t really angry, actually more relieved by the distraction than she would rather admit. Resting her chin on the back of her hand, only dimly aware of the fact that she was trying to hide a small shake in her hands, she tried to tune back into what the professor was saying but her attention was soon drawn back to the falling rain. The sound like a magnet or a broom collision she couldn’t look away from.

“If I didn’t know better,” Pansy whispered beside her, “I’d think you were in love, Greengrass.”

The smirk on Pansy’s face sent a jolt of anger through Daphne that she hadn’t expected to feel.

“I am not in love! Don’t be dense, Parkinson.”

“Come off your high horse, Daph,” Pansy goaded. “Who’s the unlucky bloke?”

Snubbing her nose, Daphne focused on Professor Trelawney as she moved animatedly to a Gryffindor’s table on the opposite side of the room. Pansy wasn’t so easily deterred though.

“Come now, I thought we were better friends than that,” she insisted.

“I’d scantily call our association a friendship.”

Pansy smiled, the look off-putting to those not accustomed to it. “I never said anything about friendship, only that we were close enough _‘associates’_ to share little tidbits such as those in relation to love interests.”

She finished with a small bark of laughter that she pretended was a cough when the professor peered her way.

“You’re only being nosy. Leave me be,” Daphne said firmly.

“So there is someone!”

Sighing, Daphne shook her head and did her best to ignore Pansy’s prying for the rest of class.

*

In the growing gloom of a cloudy day, Daphne stifled a yawn back as she turned a corner. To keep her mind off the strange business with Luna, she’d been throwing herself full force into studying as it was the best distraction she had. The last several nights she’d been up to ungodly hours of the night devouring various books, most on subjects she hadn’t even been taught yet or would likely never be taught.

Pansy had suggested reading romance novels instead. Shortly thereafter, Pansy was unable to get rid of a jinx on her bed curtains that kept them snapped shut for three days, forcing her to sleep on a couch in the common room.

Walking down the corridor to the nearest staircase, Daphne couldn’t fight back another yawn, pausing to cover her mouth. She was about to continue on her way when voices around the next corner caught her attention.

“And what are you going to do about it, Loony?” one voice said.

There was a thump and something slipping to the floor, a bag perhaps?

“Leave her,” a second voice said, “she won’t do anything.”

“She’s a daft nutcase. Doesn’t even say anything unless it’s some weird flowery bullocks.”

“I think she likes it,” a third voice said. “Likes being picked on, that’s why she doesn’t do or say anything. Isn’t that so, Loony?”

A hiss of breath, one of pain, made a frozen Daphne move quickly. She hurried to the end of the corridor and rounded the corner to find Luna on the floor, clutching her side. A Hufflepuff boy and girl, fifth years, and a third year Slytherin boy, were crowded around Luna, looking up in surprise at the sound of Daphne’s footsteps. The third year blanched at the sight of her and took off before she could speak. Unfortunately for him, she recognized his face and looked forward to handling him one-on-one at a later time.

Currently though, the Hufflepuff girl was glaring at her as though she had an honest chance in hell in intimidating Daphne. It was obvious that the Sorting Hat had made a mistake with her, Daphne thought absently for only a second before she pulled out her wand just as the Hufflepuff boy attempted to reach for his. He was more panicked than his cohort - sweat already forming a sheen on his brow as he quickly dropped his hand away, holding it up in surrender. It was tempting to be spiteful and jinx him for being both a bully and a coward, two conflicts that revealed only his true nature.

“What’s all this?” Daphne asked. “Three on one hardly seems fair, especially against one that won’t fight back.”

The Hufflepuff girl opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted when she abruptly flew halfway down the corridor. With her eyebrows raised, Daphne watched Luna slowly push herself up from the floor, wand outstretched in her hand. She made a gesture as if to attack the boy but he balked, ducked, and raced toward his friend to help her up. The girl was woozy but able to get up with her friend’s aid and together they crept off as fast as possible.

Daphne jinxed their shoes to stick to the floor every other step making their getaway a frustratingly slow ordeal.

“Thank you, Daphne,” Luna said after the two were out of earshot.

“Why didn’t you defend yourself sooner?” Daphne asked in some annoyance. She didn’t want the Ravenclaw to suspect she had acted out of an unexpected amount of worry.

Luna tilted her head. “I didn’t defend myself at all.”

“You blasted that Hufflepuff twit.”

“Oh. She had her wand up her sleeve and was about to jinx you.”

The Slytherin blinked as Luna’s words sunk in. “You defended me, but not yourself?”

“I’m quite used to the bullying. However, there is no reason for someone to get hurt on my account.”

Smiling softly, Luna turned and began to walk away leaving Daphne in a surprised stupor. She had taken five steps before the Slytherin realized Luna was in stocking feet.

“You’ve no shoes on.”

Looking down at her feet, Luna nodded. “Quite. Someone took my last pair some time during the night. They always give them back, eventually. Happily, today looks like it will rain so I won’t get them dirty.”

Daphne frowned, feeling as though she should argue the logic behind Luna’s words but she couldn’t truthfully come up with anything satisfactory enough. She instead watched as Luna gave her a small wave and disappeared down the corridor, humming softly.

A few hours later, it did rain. She was on her way to Potions when the downpour started outside; painting the corridor leading to the dungeon stairs grayer than it had been previously. She paused beside a window, looking out it expectantly.

“What is it?” Pansy asked, pausing at Daphne’s side.

Hesitating, Daphne looked embarrassed when she said, “I have to go meet someone right now. Will you cover for me? Tell Snape I felt ill and went to the Infirmary.”

Looking her over quietly, Pansy smirked. “Give me a name and I will.”

Bowing her head, Daphne shuddered as a draft touched her legs. Standing tall, Daphne looked her housemate in the eye with a warning gaze. “Lovegood, and if you breathe a word of it to anyone—“

Pansy laughed, waving the other girl off. “No one would believe me if I did say anything. Now off with you before I change my mind. Perhaps stop in at the Infirmary for real as you might be a touch mad.”

Smiling at her, Daphne turned and ran. She moved without thought, navigating herself to the main stairwell and out the school into the pouring rain. Outside, the cold rain did make her pause but only for a moment. Running to the shed behind the greenhouse where she had watched Luna speak to a flower, Daphne was relieved to find her hunch had been correct. There Luna was, smiling up at the heavens with her eyes closed. Her formerly stocking-clad feet were now bare and muddy.

“This is idiotic,” Daphne said loudly. “We’ll catch our death out here.”

“If you were truly concerned about that, you wouldn’t have come,” Luna replied, her eyes still closed.

Folding her arms, Daphne looked away. “I don’t like you.”

“Don’t you?”

She looked back to find blue eyes twinkling at her through the gloom. A lump formed in her throat as a near alabaster hand stretched out for her, waiting patiently for her to step forth and accept it. Making a show of being reluctant, Daphne took the proffered hand. She moved in close to the Ravenclaw, seeking warmth; seeking answers for things she had a feeling she would never understand. Luna leaned in close to her, her breath warm against her cheek.

“Close your eyes and just feel the rain against your body,” Luna said near her ear, breath scalding on Daphne’s neck as she moved away.

Placing a finger against her lips when the Slytherin opened her mouth, Luna closed her eyes and tipped her head back; her fingers entwining with Daphne’s in the process. Seeing as she had come this far down the younger girl’s rabbit hole, Daphne inhaled deeply, closed her eyes, and tipped her face upward. She felt exactly as she had expected to – silly. A squeeze at her hand seemed to tell her to relax, enjoy the moment. Daphne’s disinclination toward silly and childish things made it hard for her to enjoy the moment and eventually she conceded this was a hopeless and foolish endeavor at something she knew to be a mistake but traversed after anyway.

Opening her eyes, she found Luna smiling at her; golden hair stuck to her cheeks. A flush crept up Daphne’s face as Luna leaned in and placed a chaste kiss against her lips.

“What was that for?”

“You look lovely in the rain,” Luna answered as though it was perfectly obvious.

“You’re mad.”

Looking down at their still entwined fingers, Luna laughed. “A touch of madness is healthy for everyone. Think of how plain and dreary the world would be if everyone were sane.”

Thinking on this for a long moment, Daphne nodded. “You’re right.” And kissed Luna full on the mouth, inhaling the scent of rain and tasting her touch of madness.

That night, secure behind her bed curtains, Daphne looked over the parchment once again. Luna hadn’t told her how or if there was an actual message on it but something deep in her gut told her there was. She mulled over Luna’s query about looking at it without her eyes for the hundredth time. Finally she closed her eyes and held the parchment up to her face feeling dumb the instant she did it. About to toss it away, she noticed two things at once:

One, the parchment had a faint scent of honeysuckle on it, and two, when opening her eyes with the parchment so close to her face, she could see a tiny glimmer of words that she was certain hadn’t been there before.

_’Speak to the flowers with me someday.’_

Daphne smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> I may do a sequel to this.


End file.
